DIRECT. War in Ukraine: EU candidate status would be "a starting point", according to Zelensky

The essential

• The European Commission will finalize its opinion “next week” on Ukraine's EU candidacy.

• The first Russian passports were delivered yesterday to residents of southern Ukraine. 

• The Ukrainian general staff reported on Saturday evening an intensification of Russian artillery fire towards Lyssytchansk and the bombardment of civilian infrastructure in many localities in the region.

06:59

EU candidate status would be "a starting point"

For Ukraine, the status of candidate would be "a starting point", with the key to a long process of negotiations and reforms, recognized Volodymyr Zelensky.

However, he said in a video message on Saturday evening, “we will work even more powerfully at all levels to get the right decision.

She is very important to us.”

06:52

For Ukraine's accession to the EU, answer "next week"

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on a surprise visit to kyiv on Saturday, promised a response "next week" to Ukraine's ambitions to apply for EU membership.

06:45

Welcome to this live

Hi there.

We are together all day to follow the news related to the war in Ukraine.